


spaghetti

by buckfxckbarnes



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M, aaron and daryl are in love okay, au - no apocalypse, bi!daryl dixon, daaron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:54:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24316882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckfxckbarnes/pseuds/buckfxckbarnes
Summary: aaron and daryl are in love. except neither was sure that was the case.
Relationships: Aaron/Daryl Dixon, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes (mentioned), aaron/eric raleigh (mentioned)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	spaghetti

daryl and aaron have been best friends since high school. 

they played baseball together, daryl a catcher, aaron a pitcher. they went to parties together, smoked a cigarette for the first time together (aaron thought he was dying at how badly he was coughing, daryl just laughed and patted his back).

aaron was there whenever daryl's dad got too drunk and used daryl as a punching bag. aaron always offered up his bed on the bad nights (though daryl opposed and they ended up sharing it in the end every time). 

daryl was the first person aaron told he was gay. he was there when he came out to his mom (she assumed they were dating. they thought it was funny). 

aaron was there when daryl was struggling with his sexuality. daryl had freaked out when he realized he had a crush on the new kid, rick. aaron was there through the panic attacks, the breakdowns, the self-hatred, but was also there when the calm came when daryl learned to accept himself. 

both aaron and his mom were there when daryl's dad found him kissing rick and kicked him out. rick got scared and broke up with him within the next week. aaron's mother offered up her house, and him and aaron became roommates for the remainder of their junior and senior years. 

and daryl was there when aaron lost his arm. it got crushed when they were trying to move a log. they had to amputate to save him. daryl was right there, giving blood when needed, telling them to take it all if that's what aaron needed. 

and now, here they are. twenty-five years old and still the best of friends. nothing could go wrong. 

* * *

"dar? you home?" daryl heard aaron's voice ring through their apartment. he had gotten home from work twenty minutes ago and just got out of the shower. it was his night to cook, and he didn't feel like poisoning himself or aaron with motor oil. 

"yeah, be out in a sec." he called back. he finished towel drying his hair and pulled his clothes on his still damp body. he gathered his work clothes off the floor and padded across the hall bare foot to his room to discard them in his hamper. he grabbed a hat off his wall and put it on his head backwards. 

daryl walked into the kitchen to see aaron sitting on the counter. "aar, get yer ass off tha counter." 

"nah, don't think i will." he swung his legs and smiled smugly. he laughed as daryl swatted at him. 

daryl swung a towel at him. "gotta cook dinner, asshole." aaron just shrugged. 

"well, i'm not moving." he gave daryl a challenging look. 

daryl just looked at him. then, without a second thought, he surged forward, grabbed aaron by his hips and threw him over his shoulder. a yell of surprise escaped the other man's mouth at the sudden manhandling. 

" _dude!_ this isn't fair!" there was no seriousness in his tone, instead laughter. 

"yer tha one that wouldn't move yer ass." he carried the taller man out to the living room and dropped him onto the couch. aaron flipped him off and crossed his arm over his chest, pouting. 

"oh, lighten up, baby. whaddaya want for dinner?" daryl copied and crossed his arms over his chest. he glanced down at the pouting man. 

"spaghetti." he looked like a child with his lip jutted out like that, and daryl had to look away before his mind wandered. when daryl looked back, he had everything under control and gave aaron a look that read ' _really? again?'_

"pretty please?" he stood up. "what'll it take? a little kiss? you want a smooch for your troubles, dar?" he started making a kissy face. 

"i'm sure eric would love that." he forced a laugh.

eric was aaron's boyfriend. they;ve been together for the better part of a year or so, and met through aaron's job as a barista at a local coffee shop. daryl was happy for him. believe him. 

"he know's you'll always be my first love, daryl." he held his hand over his heart. 

"yer so dramatic, y'know that? why am i still friends with you." he joked. 

"because you're secretly in love with me." aaron teased back. 

daryl froze for barely a second before retorting. "only in yer dreams, man." 

"then there they will stay." aaron chuckled. "so... spaghetti?" 

daryl huffed. "fine, yeah. ya can have yer damn spaghetti."

as he headed to the kitchen, he heard footsteps behind him and the sudden weight of a man on his back. if he didn't have such good balance, they'd both be flat on their faces right now. he just sighed and lightly smiled, and made it to the kitchen without dropping his cargo. 

"it's kinda hard ta cook with ya on me like this, aar."

aaron just tightened his grip around daryl's neck and waist. "you've done it before. plus, i'm kinda comfy." he rested his head on daryl's shoulder and closed his eyes. daryl just let out another sigh and his lips quirked up once more before he started cooking, enjoying the way aaron was pressed so close. 

how aaron fell asleep without falling off was a mystery to daryl. the food was done and plated on the table. it was made exactly how aaron likes it. aaron was still asleep, his even breaths fanning daryl's neck from where it rested in the crook of it. daryl figured the sleeping man resembled something of a baby koala. 

daryl opened the fridge to get them each a water when he felt aaron begin to wake. he set their waters on the counter and grabbed aaron's legs under his knees. he felt aaron's breathing shift, and hoped aaron didn't feel his heart rate shift. 

"smells good." aaron mumbled into daryl neck. "food, too." daryl's face flushed, glad aaron couldn't see it. he brushed it off as aaron being tired - he always got like this when he was tired. 

he set aaron in his chair, then sat in his own to the right of him. they ate in silence, which didn't bother either of them. each other's company was enough. 

daryl finished his food and waited for aaron to finish his. it was a habit he was trying to break, easting so quickly. growing up, he never knew when his next meal would be, so he would east as much as he could as quickly as he could. but he was getting better. aaron was helping. 

when aaron finished eating, there was an awkwardness hanging in the air that daryl didn't like. nothing with aaron was ever awkward. 

"'s there somethin' you wanna say?" his curiosity got the best of him. 

"uh." aaron cleared his throat and took a sip of water. "eric and i broke up."

daryl's face fell. "man, 'm sorry." he put a hand on aaron's shoulder. a moment passed and his hand fell. "y'okay?" 

aaron paused for a moment. "i'm fine. i've had a week to deal with it." he glanced at daryl. 

" _a week?_ when were ya gonna tell me?" his mouth fell open, and he fully turned to look at aaron. 

"i didn't wanna say anything until i was sure." there was anxiety layering in aaron's eyes, turning them a deeper blue. 

"sure? 'bout what?" daryl's face screwed up in confusion, his brow furrowed and nose scrunched.

"about things i was feeling." daryl made eye contact. "i kinda like this other guy."

daryl's heart sank. a moment passed. "who?" 

"you know him. he's got this long brown hair, bright blue eyes. kind of an asshole, but pretty sweet once you get to know him. he memorized my coffee order, too." 

daryl thought. his eyes widened. " _rovia?_ you like _jesus?_ " 

aaron started laughing, full on hysterical. he was doubled over, and daryl just wanted to know what was so damn funny. 

"dude, _what?_ why're ya laughing?" daryl was getting upset, and frustrated that he was getting upset. 

the laughing man sobered up and rested a hand on daryl's shoulder. "no offense, i mean this as sincerely as possible, but you are the most dumb, oblivious dude ever."

"what the hell, man?" daryl got up, and aaron followed him to the living room, abandoning their plates at the table. 

"dar. _daryl_. i don't like _paul rovia_. sure, maybe in high school, but no. i'm not talking about him." there was a long silence. "i was talking about you, you moron." aaron's eyes were soft as they met daryl's. blush crept up daryl's neck and face, his ears turning pink at the ends. 

"you-" he cleared his suddenly too dry throat. "yer not fuckin' with me, right? 'cause tha'd be pretty fucked up, even fer you, aar." 

"i would never." he stepped slightly closer. 

daryl looked up from his feet and noticed just how close aaron was standing. 

"'m-'m not good with feelins, and shit." he reached a hand towards aaron, then pulled back, but not quick enough. aaron caught it in his own. the taller man gave a soft smile.

"that's okay, dar." 

they stood there for a moment in their living room, hand in hand. daryl took an experimental step forward and-

" _who's ready for movie night?!"_

glenn's voice filled their apartment.

"dammit, rhee." 


End file.
